Why The Medieval London Bridge Was So Important | The Bridges That Built London | Chronicle 

Dan Cruickshank was absolutely the right presenter for this video. The subject is fascinating anyway, but his infectious enthusiasm made it very exciting to watch.

Dan Cruickshank made the best series of history documentaries ever shown on UK television in my opinion. I saw the original of this one on TV years ago - it has been a treat to stumble upon it once again.

Somewhat surprised to see Dan Cruickshank didn't crash while driving. He's so estatic looking at bridges that I half expect him to veer off the road in his excitement.

A terrific documentary. The old London Bridge must've been a fantastic spectacle and a busting thoroughfare connecting both banks of the river.

The Thames is called the Isis in Oxford. At the head of it is a Pub called “The Swan”. The stone floor upon which one stands to order repast at the service window has a very noticeable declevity because it is over 800 years old. Go there!

Well done. I never would have thought I’d enjoy a show entirely about bridges but he makes it so interesting.

The history beneath our feet is so rich and complex. The medieval London Bridge is a testament to the ingenuity and resilience of our ancestors. It's a shame we've lost so much of the historical architecture to modern development.

anything Dan does is fantastic. he is raw energy in any project.

Since we recently sent the ashes of our parents down a creek, which eventually leads to Hudson Bay, I find the notion that rivers are sacred quite natural.

I will watch anything Dan Cruikshank presents as his enthusiasm, knowledge and love of history and architecture come shining through in a way few other presenters manage.

It's wonderful to see documentaries that celebrate the achievements of the West. There is much to be proud of.

After many years, I finally got the opportunity to see the London Bridge in Arizona. It was Christmas time, a cold crisp night in the desert. I took time to really gaze upon it and wonder what it would have been like to experience this bridge while looking upon the old medieval bridge before its demise. Truly, a unique experience to drive across this old bridge. I can't believe that it was dismantled, brick by brick and put back together.

Really interesting & The old bridge with churches & chapels ,houses, boatmen & people the model is a phenominal work ..Amazing

I was stationed in Augsburg in the early 80’s. It was really wonderful to participate in German cultural life in Southern Bavaria and make acquaintances with many German civilians. I really felt like I was doing something important with people that shared many of the same ideals. We were really proud to share our culture during German-American festivals. My unit ran the “Corn-on-the-cob” concession which was immensely popular with the German visitors. Seeing how the Germans organized their society changed our own views of America. So many Americans had this opportunity that they probably never would have had because of income or because of their own upbringing. It was such a positive thing. The vast majority of us had no feeling of superiority or of being occupiers. For example, most of us felt that the Bundeswehr was so professional. The many service members that married a German spouse is a real unifying force! Thanks for bringing back many great memories.

Always wanted know more about this unique bridge. Even though I’ve never lived in or visited London. Everyone is fascinated with Tower Bridge but, London Bridge is the one that really made the city what it is.

Ammersmith is a beautiful bridge. As an Australian, I have been truly blessed to get mud larking permits for sections of the Thames. Some of my best finds sit in the British Museum collections department, not worthy of display, but still significant in a small way. It is a river that requires special consideration.

Just as they rebuilt Shakespeare’s theatre, they really should do a rebuild of the original London bridge in the original spot, complete with shops all away along, all built using the same types of buildings. It’l be a great tourist draw.

I absolutely love this man's enthusiasm for bridges. His euphemistic description for his passion between @1:45-1:55 is precious... he's trying so hard not to tell you the bridge is giving him wood but he just can't contain himself. As a fellow bridge fetishist, i'm genuinely gleeful to watch a fellow nerd be amazed--nay, stimulated!--by architecture. :)

Love Dan Cruikshank. I love how he loves architecture and art. Thanks for posting this.

If you look over the side at low tide London Bridge Station end, you can see remains of the old bridge foundations embedded in the mud, it’s very visible with wood showing the outlines of the pier foundations and you can see the direction the bridge went not line the current one of today is. I’d love to go mudlarking there, would be amazing finds no doubt!

I needed something pithy after watching shorts. This is so wonderful and surprising with its revelations. I’d love to see a similar documentary on Paris bridges!

While Tower Bridge is like the gateway to England just imagine how much of an attraction old London bridge would be today. Property on it would be the most sort after in the world. I do think that it could be rebuilt in its original style as I'm in no doubt there would be no shortage of keen investors

Thank you for this fascinating information! For me, London is the most historically evocative city of all.

Beautifully photographed, written, and presented. I loved every minute of this. Thank you.

It’s delightful to hear his genuine excitement for the subject. I found myself completely engrossed in a subject I’d never reflected on before. What an interesting documentary and so well presented. Thank you!

Great documentary on the Thames, London, her bridges and history. Thank you.

Cruickshank always a class act.

i'm coming to england next early december next year, on a repositioning cruise on the qm2. i cannot wait. i want to spend a few days in london basking in your holiday lights & festivities. i hope to see some historic homes in a ancient little village, & go over the london bridge to see exactly what we sang about in kindergarten about 'london bridges falling down, my fair lady'. it is a beautiful bridge.

I USED TO WORK ON THE RIVER IN 1979. IN A WET SUIT REPAIRING THE WALL NEAR LONDON BRIDGE.

Playing the game Assassin's Creed: Syndicate had me running around London during the time of Jack the Ripper. The reason I bring it up were those bridge span footings which have the shape of a ship. It makes sense when past constructions likely failed sooner without creating a design which took into account the natural erosion of water for the materials and engineering used. I never realized they were doing that hundreds of years earlier as we see with the model having those pylons driven into the riverbed backfilled with earth for support.

I have crossed a "LONDON BRIDGE!" many A Time! In the US! I have looked at WWII Graffiti on this Bridge! Boated Under, Drove Over, Cars, Trucks, RV;s and Motorcyles, Walked Under and Over! HAVASU AZ!

The content creator's talent shines through in this quiz. Well done!

I saw a video that stated that is a dark , sad history behind the classic children's song, "London Bridge Is Falling Down".

thank you so much for this informative, historical video. Always wondered what was in the towers of the bridge

It was an experience traveling back in time with the documents presented, to get an inside sneek peek into yesterYEARS's society. Pilings of when the Romans stomped the earth into submission, and the millenniums thereafter of the all roads lead to Rome...kinda made me have to take a breath just to inhale such an idea. My. My. The nursery rhyme of London Bridge became so much clearer than my less than imaginable mind. Actual houses, shops...never in all the hundreds of times "we all fall down" into a giggling heap pile; did I imagine houses, shops being part of the ALL! Greatly appreciate the time you took expanding my imagination with FACTS, thank you. Sharing this was fabulous.

I love London. I've been there on several occasions. I stay in a B&B that is near Pinewood Studios where the James Bond soundstage is located.

London bridge is falling down, falling down my fair lady, Take the keys and lock her up, lock her up my fair lady. We use to play this in our school yard when we were kids in The Bahamas.

I BLOODY LOVE BRIDGES.

Proud to say ive worked in Tower Bridge. Been up and down all over the two towers. Was great fun as a 16yo

Great work Dan, thanks, really enjoyed your film

I love the houses and building on the London Bridge.

The history of all of the United Kingdom’s are amazing and so so rich, as Tony Robinson said “you only need to scratch the surface of our great land to find history” but there’s nothing quite like London, it makes you proud!to know you’re on a land so rich and you descended from people who where strong and laid the blocks for generations and generations to come, you can still see parts of their life right beneath your feet, I wish today we had more respect for the land we stand on and the ancestors that built it up.

I enjoy this so. Thank you ❤

Very good program thank you for posting it.

Lovely. But, oh!, how I wish the aerial photography at the very end had given us more time to view the urban-riverscape. Beautiful shots and I wanted more. Also quite wonderful to explore the actual London Bridge and the meaning of the nursery rhyme. I had no idea that the bridge included buildings---houses and shops. Goodness. Loved this video. Thank you!

So well done:) ❤

Fascinating. Thank you

Extremely interesting programme , ... thank you.

very well done,I learned things about bridges that I had not known

The fact that the dance class today is funded by the toil money of medieval Londoners just connected it all in a magical way. These were our ancestors who aren’t so removed from us.

History is amazing and oh, so fascinating!!!

What a wonderful historian.

very interesting, and proud to be here, Amazing,

I was just in London in november and totally loving to see the bridges there, then this week finished watching again the Tutors series on Amazon, now looking differently at the tower bridge, yike!

What a wonderful programme!

It would be wicked to see the medieval London bridge brought back looking all real n what not….interesting choke point for the plague

Published in 2012 and it's noticeable how the skyline has changed since then, even though the history doesn't.

Outstanding field work

How times change. Go over Lambeth bridge now and you certainly don't find the promise land! Great documentary.

Fascinating video.

I was very much surprised when we visited London in 1986, to learn that Tower Bridge wasn't even a hundred years old at that time.

So beautiful London ❤❤❤❤

I live in Havering, so the Dartford bridge is the closest to me. It’s a lovely looking bridge that I feel is underrated because the surroundings are so miserable and the only reason I ever used it is if I wanted to go shopping at Bluewater or get to an airport (except we now have Stratford Westfield and the Elizabeth Line from Romford to Heathrow 🤷‍♀️) You could drive over it loads and then every so often you realise how high up you are and how thick the mud is underneath. It used to be a toll bridge, we were told that, basically, once the bridge was paid for, the toll would end and it would be free to cross. Funnily enough, that never happened. It was paid for but they got used to having all that extra cash, so it’s still a toll bridge.

There is a great book available "Old London Bridge" by Patricia Pierce. Fascinating read.

So sad how boring the current inception of London Bridge is. Not to mention the terror attacks being the last event of note. Depressing age we live in.

Big fan of Dan Cruickshank.

Great program very clear, something that struck me from the footage was just how empty the river is now no boats nothing even in the side basins or moorings but I guess you need to be very rich to park your boat anywhere around there.

Imagine having a bar on medieval London Bridge. Thousands of thirsty pedestrians each day and tariff free gin hoisted up through a trap door right off the smuggler's skiff at night!

I'm no archaeologist or historian, but I'll wager they built the bridge to get to the other side without getting their feet wet!

Wonderful history, I have been in this church and seen this model.

Wonderful documentary. Enjoy Dan's enthusiasm. Only criticism was the outdoor filming blurred the soundtrack and I lost much of what Dan was saying sadly.

I loved this-thank you!!

Hi..I worked at at London Bridge for many years ( Citibank ).. my view was HMS Belfast and the beautiful London Bridge..stunning at night..♥️♥️🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪

Nice work all!

Yes....I can agree that the first bridge mentioned could possibly have been a spiritual space for offerings....but every spiritual bridge I have ever come across, mostly in India; the bridge was always also used to get people from one bank to the other bank.

great video

these bridges are stunning... and so much history has been discovered in the river thames muddy banks

I quite enjoyed the quick jab at the selling of the "New London Bridge" to the wealthy Americans in Arizona on Lake Havasu as an ornament to their "development". I always thought it to be quite a disgraceful display of avarice and completely out of place. I enjoyed my visits to London and all it has to offer. Perhaps an equal note of interest could have been made to "Ponte Vecchio" in Florence as was "Rialto" in Venice. The structure of Ponte Vecchio as an inhabited bridge of life and commerce, rivals the Old London Bridge in my opinion. Fine Documentary.

The existence of the bridge may have contributed to the freezing of the river in winter, but the data we have on the climate of the UK at the time, known as the little ice age - 14th to mid 19th century - would surely have contributed to a greater degree.

Very good documentary 💯

What year was this made it seems pretty new Thank you enjoyed it❤

I read that for a time in the 13thc the Templar precinct had its own bridge

God that last story broke me. Even though I knew he was almost certainly going to die (given the theme of this video), I still sat there until the very end going he'd make it

Time Team also was escavating there.

what a great video

Thank you, i love the Thames and its' bridges are wonderful...!

Wonderful. Fascinating documentary. More like it please. British who can afford to live in London enjoy a splendid quality of life. I love their watering holes: clean, classy, often quiet and offering impeccable service.

💯💖👋👋👍👍💐💐!!!! MANY THANKS !! MR. DAN CRUICKSHANK. FROM, U.K. (2024).

Dan Cruicshank, the best Historian ever, especially suited for television, with his obvious love of his subject, which he shares so well with his audience. I've been watching and enjoying his work for many years. Long may he continue to educate and inform in his inimitable way.

I wonder what William Wordsworth would've made of the big London Ferris Wheel on the opposite bank?

This is from the BBC (2012; filmed in late 2011)

Very interesting.

One of London's Bridges, London Bridge, is in Arizona at Havasu. The millionaire who bought it created a lake around it and a London style village attracting an expensive retirement community. It is beautiful and astonishing to visit.

I live alongside the Thames the history from top to bottom of the Thames is incredible rivers are the heart of history

From the point of view of many a river is a barrier, it's where the word rival comes from. From another pount of view it's where the sea insinuates itself into the land. The marshes and wetlands either side of the river are often given the Norman French word marshes. The march counties are those counties at the fringes of a kingdom. These counties were given to the eldest son of the Norman kings as training for defence of the kingdom when the old king died. The son in line for the throne of the UK is inested as Prince of Wales, the coynties between Wales and England are referred to as the March Counties. Marshes/Marches are indeterminate lands, and were often the redoubt of the outcast. Willows produce salicylic acid (asprin) and their twigs are known as wands. As we all know, witches cannot cross waters. They need to demonstrate their allegence to one bank (bank meaning secure llace) or the other. Ceossing a river is frequently symbolic of moving from one state of being into another. The Styx River was crossed in death to reach the heavanly Elyseum field (the Champs D'Elysee). When Julius Caesar, exasperated by the lack of recognition from the senate returned to Italy, it was when he crossed the Rubicon River that his status as an invading tyrant was established.

As recently as the 1970s Craig Court near Trafalgar Square was paved with elm blocks or "setts". Elm is a very tough and rot resistant wood. Sadly most of Englands elm's were killed by Dutch Elm disease un the 1970s.

London Bridge was relocated from London to Arizona in 1968. It's a tourist attraction.

Because of the river thames i never left London. I just love ❤ the thames

"Battered stumps" sounds like an amazing name for a football team 😊

The London Bridge, which is currently located in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, was originally built in London in 1831.